Bellows



April 16, 1935. s. F. ARBUCKLE BELLOWS Filed Nov. 11, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Samuel 7' firfivczyle.

ATTORNEYS.

April 16, 1935.

S. F. ARBUCKLE BELLOWS Filed Nov. 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Sawye! 7." r7r cvfle fggg Yx v. My ATTORNEYS- Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Samuel F. Arbuckle, Highland Park, lllicln,asslgnor to S. F. Arbuckle Corporation, a corporationofDelawareApplication November 11, 1932, Serial No. 642,154

7 Claims.

My invention relates to pressure elements in the nature of bellows orsylphons and primarily to a bellows which is completely flexible andcapable of withstanding high pressures to be utilized 5 primarily fordoing work through its expansion.

The main objects of my invention are: to provide a plurality of platesof thin material which are relatively flexible and which are securedtogether in pairs at their inner and outer peripheral edges by flexiblejoints which permit the movement of the plates relative to each other;

to provide joints between the disc-like plate,

against the leakage of the fluid which provides the pressure; to providethe peripheral edges of the adjacent discs with extending tenons, theside edges of which are radially disposed so that when they are mated inoverlapping relation the bottom portion of the tenons will be in closeadjacent relation to each other, forming a lock for preventing the upperportion of the tenons from pulling between the adjacent tenons ofopposite discs; to have the tenons disposed in angular relation to theadjacent discs to permit the discs to move outwardly a predetermineddistance before the tenons are engaged, which thereafter serve as stopelements to limit the further movement of the discs; to provide a devicein the nature of a bellows or sylphon which is operated under pressureeither by internal or external pressure, as the case may be, which issimple in construction, economical of manufacture and positive inoperation.

Other objects and features of novelty of my invention will be eitherspecifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for abetter understanding of my invention, to the following description,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of a bellows or sylphon embodyingfeatures of my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustratedin Fig. 1, taken .on the line 2--2 thereof,

Fig. 3 is a disc-shaped metal element which forms one portion of a pairof plates which go to make up my device,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a disc to be mated with the disc in Fig. 3, toform a pair of discs of my device,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4, takenon the line 5-5 thereof,

Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view similar to the structure illustratedin Fig. 2, showing a modifled form thereof,

Fig. '7 is a view similar to the structure illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6,showing a further modified form thereof, I

Fig. 8 is a broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig.7, taken on the line 8-4 thereof,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, takenon the line 9-9 thereof, 10

Fig. 10 is a broken view of a portion of a pair of discs illustratingthe overlapping relation of the tongues thereof, 1 1

Fig. 11 is an enlarged broken view of two assembled discs showing afurther modified form 15 thereof,

Fig. 12 is a view similar to that of Fig. 11, before the sealingoperation,

Fig. 13 is a broken view of one of the plates employed in the structureillustrated in Figs. 11 20 and 12, 2 f

Fig. 14 is a broken 'sectionalview of a pair of plates illustrating amodified form of construction at the inner portion thereof,

Fig. 15 is a broken sectional view of a pair of 25 plates illustrating afurther modified form of connection at the inner portion thereof, and

Fig. 16 is a broken plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 15.

In the patent to C. J. Whitacre No. 1,806,009 30 issued on May 19, 1931,and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, is illustrated,described and claimed a bellows of the flexible type having disc-likeplates which are retained together at their inner and outer periphery inpairs, 35 solely by rubber annular vulcanized members which sealed theedges of the discs together and permitted the ready separation of theopposite pairs from each other to provide an extremely flexible bellows.The bellows therein illustrated 40 and described, was employed primarilyfor operation by external pressures which forced the discs together asthe air on the inner side thereof was withdrawn. While this type ofbellows operated successfully on external pressures, internal 45pressures caused the edges of the pairs of mated plates to separate,stretch the rubber and tended to tear the rubber from sealed relation tothe plate. On ordinary pressures the type of constructlon in the patentoperated satisfactorily but 50 on higher internal pressures diiflcultieswere experienced.

The present invention relates primarily to a bellows which will standhigh intemal pressure without damage to the rubber seal provided about55 the mated peripheral edges of the disc and which ,may therefore besubstituted for longitudinally movable devices such as pistons andcylinders for producing heavy work. The novelty of the present inventionresides in the locking of the peripheral edges of the pairs of platestogether to prevent and limit the separation thereof and to providecomplete flexibility to the disc to permit them to be separated amaximum amount. This type of bellows can be employed to advantage in theplace of a cylinder not only because of the cheapness of constructionand the amount of space required, but also in view of the fact that onlyhalf of the volume of fluid pressure is required to produce the samelongitudinal movement of an actuating arm.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a bellows 2! made up of a plurality ofpairs of discs 2| which is provided with lugs 22 and 23, which may bewelded to the plate but which preferably are mechanically securedthereto through a 90 degree movement of the lugs, as illustrated in Fig.9. One end of the bellows may be attached to a fixed element 241 andhave a fluid conductor 25 secured thereto while the other end may beprovided with an actuating rod 26 for producing work.

.Referring to Figs. 2 to inclusive, I have illustrated the bellows 23having the pairs of discs 2| made of plates 28 and 29, as illustrated inFigs.

3 and 4 respectively. The plates are similar are radially disposed sothat the tenons are wider at their top edge than at the edge alignedwith the bottom of the slot 33, the purpose of which will be referred tohereinafter.

A plurality of the plates 28 and 29 are assembled together in pairs attheir inner edges through the bending of the tongues 3| into the spaces32 of the opposite plates closely to thebase of the tongues, and bentsubstantially 145 degrees so as to be spaced from the adjacent plates,as illustrated clearly in Fig. 2. After the discs are assembled in thismanner a rubber seal 36 is provided over the peripheral edges of theassembled disc by a vulcanizing operation, preferably such as to employthe spraying process which is now successfully utilized. The plates aredisposed in disconnected pairs, that is to say, are connected only attheir inner peripheral edges, which edges are readily available for thespraying or other operation for securing, preferably by vulcanization,the annular rubber seal- 36 thereon. Thereafter, the pairs of plates areconnected together, one plate 28 of one pair being mated to a plate 29of an adjacent pair and the tenons 33 bent over the adjacent plate so asto be spaced therefrom, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. After theassembly of all the plates in this manner, they may be placed undertension to pull the edges of the discs away from each other so and atthe same time to permit the discs to assume conical shapes. When thepressure is introduced to within the bellows, the discs assume aflat'conical shape, the only substantial opposition thereto is that ofthe metal itself, the selection of which and the thickness dependingprimarily upon the pressure employed. The joints at the inner and outerperipheries of the plates permit the ready movement of the plates fromeach other and does not substantially interfere with the expansion ofthe bellows. However, the plates of the bellows are prevented fromseparating from each other by the angularly disposed tongues 33 andtenons 3! which securely retain the plates and limit their movement. Thegreater width of the overlapped portion of the tenons 33, prevent theplates from being stressed to such an extent as to cause the tenons tobe drawn through the base of the slots 36 which is of less width thanthe width of the tenons. trated in Fig. wherein the tongues of adjacentplates are in overlapping relation. The angular disposition of thetongues 3| and tenons 33 from the adjacent plates limits the outwardmovement of the plates and function as stops for limiting the degree ofexpansion of the bellows and at the same time provides completeflexibility to the plate edges. The overlapping relation of the tonguesis somewhat exaggerated in Fig. 10 to clearly bring out this lockedrelationship.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 9, I have illustrated the lug 23 attached tothe outer disc 31 which, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 9, is providedwith a central opening 38 communicating with two cut-away sectorportions 39 through which the sector shaped end ll of the lug 23extends. Thereafter, a washer 62 is passed over the lug and a nut 53screwed down onto the sealing washer to completely retain and seal thelug to the plate 31. An additional screw 54 is employed for clamping thelug and bellows to the fixed element 24 and the conduit is secured tothe end of the lug by the clamping nut B5. A plate 31 is similarlyemployed on the opposite end of the bellows having a lug 22 securedthereto in the same manner as the lug 23 above described, was secured toplate 31 as illustrated in Fig. 2. The lug is of somewhat differentform, having the central aperture omitted.

Referring to Fig. 6, I have shown a modified form of the structureillustrated in Fig. 2, wherein a spacing element 46 is employed betweenthe outer peripheral edges of the adjacent discs 28 and 29 for spacingthem a predetermined distance apart. This disc is preferably a metalsplit spring ring having the ends slightly spaced apart to permit thering to assume a smaller diameter when the discs are separated underpressure while the tenons 33 are bent over the adjacent discs insubstantially the same manner as that illustrated and described inrelation to the structure illustrated in Fig. 2. In this instance itwill be noted that the rubber seal is not disposed between the tenonsand the metal but is secured outwardly and frontwardly thereof, topermit a freer hinge action of the edges of the associated plates thanwould otherwise be possible if the rubber were disposed therebetween. Itis to be understood that a similar ring 46 may ,be utllized at the inneredges of the mated pairs of plates if desirable.

This is clearly illusof the mated plate 48, of a length greater than thethickness of the plates to permit a slight separation of the plates butto limit the separation beyond a predetermined distance to limit thestretching of the rubber. The rivets may be employed both at the innerand outer edge of the plates and it is to be understood that any of theconstructions or the combinations thereof herein illustrated anddescribed or other similar constructions can be employed for permittingthe ready separation of the discs and at the same time limit theseparation thereof at the peripheral edges. The rubber sealing materialis secured at'the mated edges in a manner explained hereinabove, or inany other suitable manner.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13, l'. have illustrated a further modified form ofmy invention wherein the spacing and sealing of the peripheral edges ofthe discs is accomplished by a flexible element which is vulcanized onthe inner side of the disc.

A pair of plates 50 having tongues 33 and spaces 3! moved intointerlocking engagement as illustrated in Figs. 11. and 12, after aninner annular rubber element 52 has been inserted about the innerperipheral edge of the disc; The tongues 13 move into locking engagementas illustrated in Fig. 10 and as described hereinabove to prevent theseparation of the peripheral edges of the plates and to permit theflexing thereof. A fluid under pressure is then introduced into thespace between the plates of Fig. 12 which compresses the rubber member52, as illustrated in Fig. 11, to force the portions thereof into theapertures 5| when provided, which is thereafter heated so as to becomevulcanized to the plates when compressed to thereby entirely seal theperipheral edges of the assembled plates. The apertures 5| receive aportion of the rubber to further lock the rubber in perfect sealedrelation to the plates.

In Fig. 14, I have illustrated an annular rubber ring- 54 sealed aboutthe outer surface of a ary 8, 1921.

pair of plates 50 at the inner connection of the plates. In thisconstruction, I may provide a metal ring about the annular rubberelement 5! so that when the inner tongues 3| are bent inwardly intointerlocking relation to each other the rubber will be compressedagainst the resistance of the ring 55 to force it into intimateengagement with the metal of the plates SI and into the apertures 5|thereof, when provided, after'which the inner portion of the disc may beheated to cause the vulcanization of the rubber. The same assembly maybe effected by eliminating the ring 55 and forming the connection of theplates at their inner edges by tongues II and thereafter employing "atool to encompass the rubber ring 54 to press it into intimate relationto the plates and into the apertures bland to retain the element undercompression until the plates and rubber element are heated to effect thevulcanization. In this manner, complete flexibility of the bellows isprovided at the inner and outer connection between the plates whichfurther method of connecting the inner edges of the plates which isillustrated, described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,367,792, issuedFebru- In thisconstruction a washer or disc'" is disposed between eachof the plates ll -of a pair of plates 2! at their central portions,

after the central portions of the plates and the washers have beentinned and after a plurality thereof have been assembled with thewashers aligned in central relation to the plates. Heat is,-,

provided to the central portion of the plates,

preferably through the action of electric current therethrough,-to meltsolder and to cause a bond to be effected between the washers 56 and theplates, after which the central aperture 51 may since the outeredgepractically controls the amount of flexibility obtainable in thebellows unit. is desired the inner flexible assembly, as illus- When amaximum amount of flexibility trated in Fig. 14 and in other figures, isutilized. ;20

The bellows thus formed are entirely flexible and are capable ofwithstanding a large internal pressure to produce a predetermined amountof work, an amount for which the particular bellows are constructed. Thejoined edges of the associated discs are completely flexible, thelimitation of movement of the plates under pressure being causedprimarily by the metal and thick- 11885 of the plates which are chosenfor the particular work for which the bellows are to be employed. Thetenons at the outer peripheral edges of the discs are united in lockedengagement with each other and are spaced from the associated discs tofunction as stops for limiting the expansion of the plates to apredetermined angle. Sealing materials are employed for covering thetongues and tenons at the edges of the plates or disposed between thejoined plates to completely seal the edges against the escape of thefluid pressure. This sealing material in no way interfering with theflexibility of the joints at the edges.

Couplings in the nature of lugs are secured. to

the end plates of the bellows by any suitable means such as welding,brazing or by mechanical connection, the latter being the preferredform. The fluid pressure is conducted through one of the lugs to andfrom the bellows, while the other lug is employed for connecting thebellows to the work. The bellows thus constructed may be made of anysize and to operate on any pressure and can be used as a substitute forpistons and cylinders for doing any amount of work. An additionaladvantage is provided in the simplified construction and the requirementfor only half of the volume of energy to accomplish the same degree ofwork.

While I have indicated hereinabove that the plates of the bellows weremade of metal, it is to be understood that any suitable material such asfibre and the like, whether resilient or not, could be employed when thematerial is more or less lacking in resiliency, the rubber sealingelement aids in returning the bellows to its original form. Whennecessary the rubber may be extended between the plates to a pointbeyond that illustrated, to increase this effect. The ring 46 alsoassists in returning the bellows to its original form. The rubber andinterlocking relation "of the plates permits the variation in theperipheral dimension of the pairs of plates as the bellows is expandedor contracted and at the same time seals the edges of the plates andretains them While I have described and illustrated several embodimentsof my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes, omissions, additions and substitutions may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, asset forth in the accompanying claims. p

I claim as my invention:

1. A bellows having the outer edges of the pairs of members retainedagainst separation beyond a predetermined angle by spaced tangs whichinterfit and overlap the members to provide flexibility thereto, and aresilient non-metallic material sealing the edges against leakage.

2. A bellows having the members thereof joined together in pairs attheir inner and outer edges by tangs which overlap the members andsealed against leakage by a non-metallic material.

3. A bellows having the outer edges of the pairs of members retainedagainst separation beyond a predetermined angle by spaced tangs whichinterfltand overlap the members to provide flexibility thereto, and aresilient, non-metallic material sealing said edges on the inner side ofsaid members.

4. A bellows having the outer edges of the pairs of members retainedagainst separation beyond a predetermined angle by spaced tangs whichinterfit and overlap the members to provide flexibility thereto and toform a locking relation with each other, means for sealing said edge,and means for rigidly connecting the inner edges of the pairs of discstogether.

5. A bellows having the members joined together in pairs at their innerand outer edges by tangs which overlap the members and sealed againstleakage by non-metallic material disposed on the opposite sides of themembers from that over which the tangs extend.

6. A bellows formed from a plurality of disc members, said disc membersbeing provided with a plurality of circumferentially disposed tangshaving radially disposed sides which are bent back into overlappingengagement with an adjacent disc member to form a positive lock for theedges.

'7. A bellows formed from a plurality of disc members, said disc membersbeing provided with a plurality of circumferentially disposed tangshaving radially disposed sides which are bent back into overlappingengagement with an adjacent

